The New Me
Okay, okay, so you've all been driving me crazy with wanting to see the new hair cut! This is the only picture I have, so I hope you like it! :) I am still experimenting with how to make it look nice!
I couldn't resist adding this picture. Aren't they sweet?
Umm, what else is new...I'm going to Kansas City! Woohoo! I am so excited to get away for a few days, to have some special time just with Esther (Simeon is staying home with Deyan), to do a road trip with friends (Jason and Yvonne, Shane and Kristi - I LOVE road trips!), to visit Joyska, to spend some time at IHOP (international house of prayer). Hooray! Pray for safe travelling, no problems at the border, peace on Simeon (I've never left him for more than 1 night and he will be spending lots of time with different friends), strength for Deyan (especially since he'll still be working hard on school stuff) and grace for Esther to be in the car all that time (14 hours there and back) - Not to mention the rest of us who will be with her! :) Well, I have lots to do to get ready (we leave in 4 days or so!) but I think instead I'll just go to bed!
I'm It!
Well, I have now been tagged twice by Kristi and Beckie, so I guess I should get on with it!
FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Data Entry/Receptionist/Packer for a victorian linen home party company
2. Administrative assistant at a Senior's entertainment centre
3. Cargiver for a young woman with ALS (and also her daughter's nanny)
4. Doula!
FOUR MOVIES/SHOWS I'VE BEEN ADDICTED TO:
...well, I don't really watch much tv, but when I get onto one...
1. Olympics (every 2 years - summer and winter, but mostly winter)
2. Survivor/Apprentice/Without a Trace (used to be my thursdays)
3. Prison Break/24 (now it's my mondays!)
4. the Waltons and Little House on the Prairie (when I used to babysit for someone who had cable!)
FOUR PLACES I'VE LIVED:
1. Saint John/Rothesay/Quispamsis NB
2. Toronto (Mississauga, Etobicoke, etc.) Ontario
3. Anaheim California/La Mision Mexico
4. Winnipeg Manitoba
FOUR COUNTRIES I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT:
1. New Zealand
2. Cuba
3. Israel
4. Bulgaria
FOUR POPULAR FALSE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME:
1. I'm quiet
2. I'm confident
3. I'm a patient mom
4. I hate Winnipeg
FOUR PEOPLE I LOOK LIKE:
1. My mom
2. My kids
3. Some of my siblings (Katie, Tyler, Madalyn)
4. Megan Follows
FOUR THINGS (I HOPE) TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
1. travel more
2. have another baby
3. learn to play guitar and keyboard
4. become a midwife
PEOPLE I TAG NEXT:
1. My blogging siblings (Katie, Jordan, Courtney)
2. Rochelle (are you there???)
3. Joni
4. Megan
Simeon's cuteness
Not much is new around here. My legs are healing - slower than I would like! The kids are cute as ever, and still occasionally hard to handle. But overall I feel like things are getting better. We still have rough moments, but we also have lots of fun together. I love our little family.
Last night, before putting Simeon to bed, I asked him if he wanted some yogurt. (He usually eats plain Balkan yogurt so I had already put some in a bowl for him.) He said "yesh" and then proceeded to open the fridge. I told him to hop up in his chair, that I had some ready for him. He then grabs a different container of yogurt (which happened to be Yoplait creamy) and says, "No mom, Yoplait creamy, yum yum yum!" I laughed, remembering the commercial from our 2 weeks of Olympic watching. The kid has a great memory! As he ate his yogurt, he recited the commercial, something like this: "I want more! Ladies! Sorry, don't know what over me." Then he says, "Mom, Yoplait creamy best yogurt I ever have?" Oh the power of advertising!
A couple of weeks ago, before I decided to stop potty training, I noticed Sim needing to go poo. We spent a good half hour in the bathroom, him sitting on the potty and me sitting beside him on the bathroom floor talking to Joyska on the phone. Finally, he says, "All done!" I am very excited for him and as he stands up and turns around I say, "Look, Simeon! What's in the potty?" With great exuberation he replies, "I made a hippo!" I tried not to laugh too hard and again repeated, "But what did you, my big boy, do in the potty?" To which he replied, "Not a hippo, a rhino!" All I can say is, ouch!
Sim and Esther are really starting to play more. Sim has always been fascinated with his sister, but usually gets overcome with emotion and squeezes her in his intensity! Lately he makes sure she is apart of everything and that he knows where she is at all times. Like at nap time, if I want to go lie down with him, he will say, "And momma, and simeon and baby esther all together". Or if he suddenly notices she's not around he gets very worried, "where's baby?". When I tell him she's sleeping, he needs to go and check on her just to make sure. And when he goes to bed, he always has to kiss her goodnight. I hope this wonderful big brother trend continues! Esther, on the other hand, is usually quite nervous around him (rightfully so). I try not to react every time I hear her squeak, because sometimes Sim hasn't even touched her! She's just whining in anticipation as she sees him coming closer! She does love to smile at him though. She especially seems to enjoy riding in the car with him. She sits beside him, facing him, and stares lovingly at him the entire time she's awake. I think she likes that he can hold her hand, but because he's buckled in he can't reach her face! :)
By the way, Joni, the picture of me is pre-haircut. I'm still working on adjusting to the new do!
CRASH! BANG! BOOM!
Oh what a week it's been - and it's only Wednesday! God please help me! I think the lead up to this week was my very busy schedule at the end of last week. But I was doing okay for the most part until Sunday. I had a very good and very difficult time at church. No need to get into it, but I left with a feeling of frustration and emptiness. I then proceeded to have a challenging afternoon/evening with the kids, particularly Simeon. Again, I won't get into it, but let's just say that after the 4th time of him peeing outside a diaper, usually on something that belonged to Esther (toy mat, bouncy chair, etc.), I lost it! I did not like the mother I saw myself being at that moment. Sim and I worked things out and after putting them to bed I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. I called my good friend Trish (mother of 5 young children) and asked her if I could pop in for a visit the next day. I went to bed with some hope in my heart.
Monday morning I first went to the church to do some aerobics with other moms. We had fun and worked hard! I packed the kids up to go, and proceeded to fall down a flight of stairs head first, carrying Esther. Thankfully, Simeon was behind me, not in front of me when I fell so he was uninvolved. Thankfully, Esther was buckled in securely in her well-padded carseat and I managed to hold it straight in the air so that she didn't flip over. All she experienced was a thud when it hit the floor and that produced quite a scare in her! I, on the other hand, was hurt pretty bad. Things could have been much worse, but my legs are pretty scraped/cut/burned and bruised. My knees are especially banged up and my right knee and ankle are pretty sore and swollen. I can now put more weight on my right foot, which hopefully means it isn't sprained! Anyways, as the adrenaline and scare of seriously injuring my child began to wear off, and my physical pain began to kick in, the tears began to flow. All someone had to do was look at me and I would begin to sob. I spent some time alone in the bathroom getting my legs bandaged up, thanks to Lil and Joc who took care of my kids for me. Some other moms helped carry my stuff out to the car for me and Jeff got me an ice pack. So, slightly recovered I headed to Lorette for a hair appointment.
A word of advice: don't get your hair cut when you are emotionally unstable! Okay, so it isn't too bad, but it is definitely going to take some getting used to. I told her to go ahead and cut it short, I needed a change. And she did! I think I will really like it as I get used to how to take care of it, but my first impression was, "Ah! What have I done!"
Well, my day does get better from here. I arrived at Trish's house ~ 3pm. I was so ready to sit down and have an honest heart to heart, and hopefully receive some wisdom and encouragement. Realizing that in order to be home before dark (they live in the country) I would have to leave in 1-2 hours, I decided to stay the night. Dey had an exam the next day so I knew he would be out late studying anyway. What a relief. It is so great to have friends who you can be completely honest and vulnerable with and know that they love you and will not judge you. They will speak the truth to you in love and not just give you pat answers. And they will sometimes just listen. So, after many tears and laughter, I went to sleep in a soft bed, still in alot of pain (from the fall) but more at peace.
As I drove home the next day, I remembered that I was co-leading the Breathe (mom's group) session on Wednesday. The topic? "The Emotional Landscape of Motherhood" Hello! Not sure if it was God preparing me or the enemy testing me, but it sure was humbling. We did have a great session, though, in my opinion, and it felt good to be able to share my recent adventures on this journey of motherhood. And nice to know that other moms have been there or are also there right now. The best part was finding God in the picture and realizing that my identity needs to be in Him. Reading His word sure does put things into perspective.
So, there is a piece in my life right now! Pray that my legs heal quickly because it isn't easy staying on top of my kids and house in an injured state! Thanks to Jodi who came over this afternoon and brought me food and helped me with some laundry! Please also pray for my mom who has been barely able to walk since the beginning of January due to inflammation in her knee joints. She is having a very painful procedure done tomorrow to hopefully help the situation. Thanks!
I couldn't resist adding this picture. Aren't they sweet?
